After finding out at the end of “Loose Lips” that Ben went to Amy’s house, in “Round II” (5/23/11), Ricky arrives as Amy is trying to find her English book because she hasn’t done her homework. He demands to know why everyone else knows about Ben’s visit but him. As they argue over who should apologize, George comes in and says he’s “taken care of it.” Both Amy and Ricky want to know how and Amy is beside herself when she finds out he spoke to Leo. “You know how much you love John,” George asks, “I love you more than 17 times that much,” and tells Ricky how Ben accused Amy of faking her feelings just to get married. Ricky can’t believe that, but he really can’t believe that Leo said Amy ruined Ben’s life!

Ricky goes over to Leo’s office but his assistant Camille says the Sausage King isn’t there. She offers to try to reach Leo in his car. Camille tells Ricky how much Leo cares about him and Ben. He keeps their pictures on his desk. After he leaves, Leo comes out. He was hiding from Ricky because he’s ashamed of what he said to George. Camille gives him a big lecture about apologizing to Amy and questions whether he really loves his future daughter-in-law, Adrian and his wife, Betty. Camille’s 25 years with Leo are worked into the exchange, in case you were wondering where she got the nerve.

Ashley has been upset and angry over everything but nothing. She feels ugly, dumb and unloved. Toby drives her to school where she returns Amy’s “missing” English book– she had it the whole time. Amy says maybe Ashley can do something nice for Toby in return for the ride, and Ashley pipes up: “Like have sex with him?” Amy is appalled at first but says right in front of Toby that she thought Ashley only wanted to have sex with Ricky. Toby tries to play off the awkward exchange but Ashley storms off.

Lauren and Madison have changed their minds about going to the baby shower. If they think anyone is going to be grateful, they’ve got another thing coming. Amy calls Grace to see if the shower is still on. Grace is too upset to deal with it but Grant’s old daddy comes over and gives her advice on how to deal with Grant and bestows a new nickname on her: Cookie. He’s all on Grace’s side and hopes they will be friends for a long time. “It’s a grand slam for Volberg,” Vic says, “Out of the park.”

Dominic Chianese is Vic Volberg

In school, Ben fills Adrian in on what Amy said to him. Grace shows up and tells a furious Adrian the shower’s back on. Adrian wants revenge and plans on just having the shower with Grace, ordering lobster and not eating it. Grace says she’s had a good morning and even got a new nickname. When Amy shows up, Grace tells them to both apologize. Adrian says: “Shut up, Cookie.” Amy blows up and spills her guts about what it’s really like to be a teen-aged mom. “It stinks.” As a crowd of kids gathers round, she explodes about how overwhelming and awful her life is, how Ricky loves her, even though he slept with half the girls standing around and tells Adrian: “You just wait and see … it is not easy to be a mother in high school.”

Adrian’s turn: Tearfully, Adrian recounts her childhood as the product of an unplanned teen-aged pregnancy. She says she hates herself and doesn’t want her baby to have that awful feeling of not being like everyone else. Cookie is her only friend. And there wasn’t a dry eye in the hall!

So that’s all there is to progress. You tell everyone how you really feel and they understand and feel bad for being selfish. If only it was really like that in real life!

Ben comes over and apologizes to all three girls and calls Ricky the bad boy that all the girls want but she’s got him now and he has Adrian. Ricky calls them all idiots. He’s not the bad boy. He’s damaged goods. He was embarrassed that Adrian called all the girls over and that Amy acted like they were competition like he’s some kind of prize. He drives his point home by admitting that he hurt the girls he used while trying to heal from being an abused kid.

After this, everybody apologizes to everybody. Ben makes up with Alice and Henry. Grant already knows Grace’s new nickname when he makes his “I’m Sorry.” Expect the cookie theme to be carried on and on. Cookie apologizes to Tom. Amy and Ricky apologize to each other and even hug. Ricky says he can’t believe he’s going to ask this, like he’s going to ask for sex, but instead asks if there’s going to be a shower.

In an amusing aside, Toby did ask Ashley to have sex with him, telling her about his other two horrible experiences. Maybe he thinks the third time is the charm but she turns him down (so far.) Looks like Tashley could be the next big Secret Life romance.

Cookie and Adrian are alone at the restaurant where Adrian thinks it’s only going to be the two of them and a whole passel of girls, that Adrian has been nice to but barely remembers, show up with presents.

Next Monday (5/30/11): A two-hour special, as the wedding of Ben and Adrian is supposed to take place, but not without the usual dramatics.